Family members mourn Bonney Lake woman killed by stray bullet while asleep

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BONNEY LAKE, Wash. – Linda Green was asleep Thursday night when a bullet intended for a car thief pierced her bedroom window and struck her in the head.

The 62-year-old matriarch was rushed to the hospital where she later died.

“You needed a shoulder to cry on she was the one,” said Michelle Sargent, Linda’s daughter.

Michelle’s husband adding that family was just about Linda’s whole life. “90 percent of her life was her grandkids.”

Michelle told Q13 News Linda’s death is shocking, but she wants no leniency for the man who deputies say accidentally shot her.

“He should have never pulled the trigger,” said Gordon Sargent, Linda’s son-in-law.

The man was Linda’s neighbor. He has been booked on murder two and manslaughter.

Pierce County sheriff’s deputies say he interrupted a car thief before midnight Thursday, but before calling the police he took the law into his own hands and opened fired at the stranger who was driving off in his jeep.

“We heard about 10 shots being fired,” said neighbor Destiney Myers.

Authorities say one of those stray bullets hit Linda.

Green’s family says people have the right to protect themselves but they believe the man took it too far.

“If it's not a deadly situation they don’t have the right to use deadly force,” Sargent said. “Justice needs to be served for Linda because she didn’t deserve to die. Her family didn’t deserve to lose her.”

We are not releasing the man’s name until he has been officially charged. He is expected in court on Monday.

In the meantime, the Green family hopes to give Linda a proper burial but the couple says money is tight and they need financial help.